[Matthew Causon]

Hello

There are two versions of the IoExpress ‘package’; one has the express card for laptop connx, the other a PCIe card for Tower computers.

You can also additionally order either card separately so you have both computer connection types covered.

Best regards

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Ahh let me correct and update:

Kona 3 has Red workflow (really comes under the 2k banner):
https://www.aja.com/pdf/support/AJA_whitepaper_Red_workflow.pdf

Kona 3 has 16 channels of embedded audio vs the Lhi’s 8 channels.

The Kona 3 also has 2 SDI connections, the LHi only one (though the LHi does have HDMI, 3G and analog i/o, so a different spec set)

Kona 3 has 10-bit HD/SD video + key output

Kona 3 Internal HD/SD hardware based Downstream Keyer

https://www.aja.com/pdf/KONA_Line09.pdf

Best regards

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Chad

Other than Red workflow that really comes under the 2k banner, the Kona 3 has 16 channels of embedded audio vs the Lhi’s 8 channels.

https://www.aja.com/pdf/support/AJA_whitepaper_Red_workflow.pdf

The Kona 3 also has 2 SDI connections, the LHi only one (though the LHi does have HDMI, 3G and analog, so a different spec set):

https://www.aja.com/pdf/KONA_Line09.pdf

Otherwise you have it pretty covered.

Best regards

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Donato

Good to hear.

And the cards are still current models so a pretty good investment.

thx

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello gents

I’m not an expert on the Matrox products but there may be some other areas that could be important to you and worth investigating.

Kona product have been very developed over the years e.g.:

Range of supported video formats;1080p, 1080p50/60 etc.

525i 29.97
625i 25
720p 50
720p 59.94
720p 60
1080i 25
1080i 29.97
1080i 30
1080PsF 23.98
1080PsF 24
1080P 23.98
1080P 24
1080P 25
1080P 29.97
1080P 30
1080P 50
1080P 59.94
1080P 60

AJA Kona applications:

https://www.aja.com/products/software/

Kona LHi up/down/cross and SD/SD ARC is also very developed (same technology as Kona3/FS1/IoHD), Shane mentioned the upconversion, but here’s the data from the brochure:

Up-Conversion
Hardware 10-bit
Anamorphic: full-screen
Pillar box 4:3: results in a 4:3 image in center of screen with black sidebars
Zoom 14:9: results in a 4:3 image zoomed slightly to fill a 14:9 image with black side bars
Zoom Letterbox: results in image zoomed to fill full screen
Zoom Wide: results in a combination of
zoom and horizontal stretch to fill a 16:9 screen; this setting can introduce a small aspect ratio change

Down-Conversion
Hardware 10-bit
Anamorphic: full-screen
Letterbox: image is reduced with black top and bottom added to image area with the aspect ratio preserved
Crop: image is cropped to fit new screen size

Cross-Conversion
Hardware 10-bit
1080i to 720P
720P to 1080i
720P to 1080PsF

SD to SD Aspect Ratio Conversion
Letterbox: This transforms SD anamorphic material to a letterboxed image.
H Crop: Will produce a horizontally stretched effect on the image; transforms anamorphic
SD to full frame
SD Pillarbox: Will produce an image in the center of the screen with black borders on the left and right sides and an anamorphized image in the center
V Crop; Will transform SD letterbox material to an anamorphic image.

For more info on Kona:

https://www.aja.com/pdf/KONA_Line09.pdf

As Shane says the LHi is for Tower computers only. If Laptop use is needed the IoHD and IoExpress are AJAs portable offerings.

Best regards

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

The advantages of the Ki Pro and IoHD are that they encode Pro Res in hardware.

This means that the IoHD is qualified to capture Pro Res HQ on a MacBook Pro and that’s unique.

Given that you are doing Matte work the quality of Pro Res and it being 10bit I think would be important?

If you don’t want the Pro Res hardware encoding then the AJA Io Express is a great Io box that is cross platform and codec independent, runs off 12v power if you like and has and SRP of $995.

Best regards

Matty Causon

Phosphor

EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Steve and Shane

I’ve read that there are some limitations on the upconvert of the MXO2 (16×9 etc.) Andy Mees covers it here:

https://forum.matrox.com/mxo/viewtopic.php?t=2375

Jon Thorn from AJA recently explained how AJA handles hardware upconvert:

‘We have several ways to upconvert 4×3 content to 16×9 with our desktop products. (And Ki Pro).

For archival material that may not withstand full upscaling, you can elect to perform a pillarbox; I specifically mention archival because many broadcasters specify that the volume of upconverted footage that is pillarboxed be very limited.

We also offer an anamorphic upconvert which produces optimal results when moving from an SD to HD signal; for example, anamorphic SD footage from the Panasonic SDX900 camera can produce very nice results when viewed as HD.

We also offer a “split the difference” upconvert to 14×9 which can be suitable in situations where items in frame simply cannot be zoomed to fill the frame at 16×9. You don’t see this all that much, but from time to time you do; I’ve seen it several times with sports footage for example and some television commercials.

Finally, we offer two 4×3 to filling of the full 16×9 frane options; zoom letterbox and zoom wide. Zoom letterbox may appear slightly distorted in most cases, while Zoom wide should appear as a faithful scaling up and filling of the frame without distortion.’

So whilst AJA are not keen to do feature comparisons (or any mudslinging) it might be good for Kane to know any differences that may exist specific to upscaling as his request is pretty specific.

BTW the hardware conversion on the FS-1 and Kona 3 are the same hi quality (and I think the LHi also). As you note Shane to go better you’d be in big $ territory, Terra or Snell.

Many thanks all

Matty Causon

Phosphor

EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello guys

My thinking was to use the Io Express to for video output and monitoring, (not between the Ki Pro and computer) the Ki Pro does not do this.

thx

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Hello Ayman

I recommend you contact our distributor in UAE who I think would be able to help advise you:

MediaSys FZ-LLC (Distributor)

Bejoy George
Office 209, Building 10 Dubai Media City,
Dubai, – AE
https://www.mediasysdubai.com
bejoy@mediasysdubai.com
Ph: +97150-4545586
Fax: +9714-3908192

Best regards

Matty Causon
Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.

[Matthew Causon]

Meant to say Io Express is an io Device (box) not card.

Apologies

Matty